


Live Another Day

by OnceAndFloral



Series: Don't Need A Valentine 2021 [1]
Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Canon Typical Violence, M/M, The inherent homoeroticism of patching up your enemy's wounds, cross-faction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-10
Updated: 2021-02-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 21:06:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29338770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnceAndFloral/pseuds/OnceAndFloral
Summary: The RED Medic finds BLU Engie in a pretty bad way.Day 3: Cross Faction
Relationships: Engineer/Medic (Team Fortress 2)
Series: Don't Need A Valentine 2021 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2155041
Comments: 2
Kudos: 38





	Live Another Day

Lost. Medic had managed to get _lost_. He bristled as he rounded the corner to yet another dead end and spun back around to try the other route. On one hand, this was the team’s first foray to this particular battlefield, but still. Medic hated being lost. He was supposed to be doing something, dammit.

Somewhere, he could hear the sounds of gunfire and frantic shouting. Far away, too far away. Could it kill RED or BLU to put up clearer directions? Maybe give them a map before dropping them in the middle of a maze? He spotted a door he hadn’t gone through yet and sprinted toward it.

A bullet ricocheted off the doorframe a mere four inches from his head, and Medic whipped back around it, pressing his back to the wall as he brandished his bone saw. Slowly, very slowly, he peeked around the corner. The BLU Engineer was slumped up against the far wall, shoulders sagging and pistol held loosely in his hand. A shotgun laid discarded at his side. Probably out of ammo. He was surrounded by a mess of blood and viscera, which, judging by his labored breathing, was at least partially his own.

“I don't want to hurt no one,” He said. “Just let me go back to my team.”

“Your hand is shaking from blood loss.”

“Huh?”

“That's why you missed.”

“Listen here, I can still take you down easy. Don't make the same mistake as those other fellas and underestimate me.”

Normally Medic wouldn't have doubted him for a second. The Engineer was a much worthier adversary than most thought, and Medic himself was not too great at hand to hand combat. But with the way he was shaking, and the obvious fact that he was too weak to stand up, Medic was confident he could handle him.

“If you don't shoot me, I have the necessary supplies and skills to patch you up,” Medic called.

“You… What?”

“You want to return to your team, ja? You'll never make it unless you are stabilized.

Engineer stared for a few seconds, and then his hand dropped to the floor like it was attached to a weight. The pistol clattered as it struck the ground. If possible, he slumped even further against the wall. 

“Alright, but no funny business,” he mumbled. “I can still kill ya.”

“Of course.”

Medic drew closer, pulling out his manual supplies and tools. The medigun would _probably_ work on him (keyword, probably). But Engineer was after all an enemy and even Medic couldn't justify wasting valuable resources on him. Sutures were cheap and replaceable, fuel and parts for the medigun had to be fabricated on base by himself. 

He only had so many sleepless nights already.

Engineer sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth as Medic started to stitch the gaping wound in his side. “You got any anesthetics?”

“I thought you wanted to get back to your team quickly?”

“I said nothing about quick.”

“Alright, then, you big baby,” Medic grumbled. He took out one of the local anesthesia syringes and pulled off the cap with his teeth. 

He injected it, and slowly Engineer began to relax. He was still staring at him though. Medic spit out the syringe cap.

“What?”

“Isn't that, um, not sanitary?”

He gestured to the gore around them. “Are you that concerned about sanitation?”

“Perhaps not.”

Medic went back to working on the sutures. The anesthesia could probably use a little bit more time to kick in completely, but frankly he might bleed out if he didn't start soon. 

Indeed, Engineer flinched just slightly. “Aren't ya… Worried about your team?”

“Hm?”

“How they'll be doing without you?”

“Oh, that. Yes, of course, my services are invaluable, but it's just one battle. We always get the whole spiel from our administration about how important the coming fight will be, but I'm well aware this is an endless cycle. Doesn't mean they need to know that I know that.” He raised his eyebrows. “Endless war means endless funding for me.”

Engineer laughed. “I get you there, partner.”

“In all honesty, I'm surprised _that's_ the question you ask.”

“... What else would I ask?”

“Maybe why I'm helping someone on the enemy team.”

“Well, isn't that just what you do? As a doctor?”

Medic froze mid-stitch. His shoulders shook as he tried to hold it in, but the laughter burst out anyhow. It lasted perhaps a touch too long, but for Engineer’s part he just silently sat through it.

“Oh, I needed that,” Medic sighed, tilting his head to wipe away the tears on the shoulder of his lab coat. “I don't know what kind of man your team’s medic is, but I assure you we seem to be very different people.”

“What about the Hippocratic Oath?”

“Surely you've broken many promises in your life, hm? This was one of mine. And with a promise like that, if you break one part you may as well throw the whole thing out.”

Engineer scowled. If it was about Medic's words, his tone didn't show it. “Alright then, why _are_ you doing it?”

“Curiosity, I suppose. I’ve never done this before, and I’m excited to see what the outcome will be. Respect as well.”

“Respect,” He repeated.

“Yes, do you not understand the concept?” Medic gestured to the bloodstained walls around them. “You managed to single-handedly take down professional hitmen. It makes you very worthy of my admiration.”

“Awfully weird way to refer to your own teammates.”

He paused. Medic stared down at his work, refusing to make eye contact. “I will tell you a secret.”

“Uh. Okay.”

“Most of my team members… do not like me. It’s a problem that has unfortunately followed me to whichever company I join.” He sighed and finished sealing the largest gash. “It usually confuses me. I mean, I’m quite certain none of the other medics they’ve worked with have been nearly as effective as me, or made the same scientific advancements but something still doesn’t click. So, since they do not want to associate themselves with me, I will give them the courtesy of not associating myself with them.”

Engineer frowned. “That’s…” He was cut off as Medic pulled his arm. “Ow!”

“Your shoulder was dislocated,” Medic explained. He dug around in his supplies for a sling.

Ah. He couldn’t find one where he always put them. He either must have forgotten to fully restock, or someone else took them without his notice. Medic sighed and tore off a length of fabric from the hem of his coat.

“Shucks, you didn’t have to do _that,_ Doc.”

“You are my patient. The coat is easily replaceable.” He dug around for antiseptic. “All I have to do now is disinfect your smaller wounds and bandage them. That should give you the ability to get back to your base and get treated for the internal issues I can’t deal with out here.”

“Much appreciated.”

“Are all your conversations this one-sided, or am I just unable to shut up?”

Engineer snorted. “Nah, they usually go ‘bout this way. Though, if you think I’m not chatty you shoulda met my grandfather. The man really put a downer on family holidays.” He shrugged, then winced. “I usually keep to myself, I guess. There’s a lotta stuff on my mind I don’t think my team would understand.”

“Penny for your thoughts?”

He blinked, like he wasn’t expecting Medic to ask. Then he gave a wry smile. “Maybe I’ll tell you another day when we’ve got more time.

“Why wouldn’t-” Oh. _Oh,_ he _wanted_ to see Medic again. That was the implication. “Yes, that sounds nice.” At this point, there was one more slash across his cheek, but Engineer’s goggles would get in the way of the bandage. Medic cleared his throat. “Ah, we have to remove your eye protection, would you rather do it or me? Because you only have the one hand right now.”

“Oh, um, I can do it, no problem.” Engineer took them off and stuffed them in the pocket of his overalls. Medic set to disinfecting it, still vehemently avoiding eye contact, which was now a much more difficult task. “Really, though, thanks for doing this.”

“It’s no issue. Thank you for not hitting me over the head with a wrench.”

“... I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Medic chuckled. “Of course. Now, I would really appreciate it if you wouldn’t die on your way back. It somewhat invalidates the effort I’ve put in here.”

“I’ll try my best.”

For a split second as he was applying the bandage, his eyes flicked over to meet Engineer’s. And then he stared back at the white adhesive. “Good.” Medic stood up and offered a hand. “I expect that conversation you promised me. For another day.”

Engineer smiled and took his hand. “For another day.”

**Author's Note:**

> I _kinda_ wanted to write more but I've been swamped with school work so I didn't have the time :(. Anyways, might to a sequel later, but for now I hope u enjoyed it!


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